Lunar Warrior
by MistressofSeven77
Summary: After crash-landing in Lake Bresha, the L'Cie begin to wander. Hope trips, and cuts himself. HIs blood awakens a strange entity, but the entity attempts to kill them. She reveals she is from a parallel realm, and has come to awaken 7 Gods capable of silencing a threat to both realms. Can the warriors overcome their differences, or will they be torn apart, allowing True Ruination?
1. Chapter 1: Awakening

Chapter 1: Awakening

The night was high. The moon was upon the crystalline landscape of Lake Bresha. The only thing that didn't seem to fit was a crashed airship and a small group of people crawling away from it.

"What happened? Sazh, any idea?"

"Wish I knew! That silver wave of energy must've screwed up the engines or somethin'...I don't have much of an idea!" Sazh replied, in a state of panic and confusion.

"Guys...This is Lake Bresha!"

"You're right, Hope. Where everything began." Snow said, muttering the last part to himself.

"Our nightmare...and where Serah is resting."

"Whoa!" Hope cried out.

"Hope!" Snow exclaimed, turning around.

Hope unintentionally tripped, and cut himself on a smaller, jagged crystal. When his blood dripped from the crystal, it suddenly caused a brilliant light to shine, nearly blinding him. The others helped him get back from the light. It swiftly faded, revealing a beautiful woman just...standing there.

The woman that was now freed from her crystalline slumber was the picture of beauty. Her hair was long, silver, and nothing held it back. She had a pale blue sleeveless dress on. Her hands were covered by blue gloves, and she wore pale blue boots that went all the way up to her knees. On both of her wrists, there was one gold band. On her right shoulder, there was a crescent moon-shaped birthmark. It was black with a blue aura. Attached to her back, there was a bag. She opened her eyes, revealing ice blue orbs.

INTRODUCTION: Innocent Starter by Nana Mizuki

_**Hiza wo kakaete Heya no katasumi**_

(Hope is sitting in a corner, his knees curled up to his chest.)

_**Itsumo fuan de Furueteita**_

(Sazh's chocobo chick flies down to his shoulder, and gives him a gentle peck. He looks up, and smiles.)

_**"Hontou" wo shiru koto ga kowakute TOBIRA wo tojita**_

(Cut to Hope alongside the rest of the L'Cie. Selene is standing away from them, glaring at them.)

_**Yasashii uso ni Ibasho mitsukete**_

(Selene looks to the moon, her hand over her heart.)

_**Yume no naka ni nige konda**_

(She prepares to fight Lightning and her friends.)

_**Dare mo shiranai Kodoku no umi wo**_

(Lightning draws her Blazefire Saber, and charges to Selene.)

_**Fukai ao ni someteku**_

(Cut to a shot of Selene standing on water, eyes closed, her hand closed over her heart. The water is slightly disturbed by Selene standing over it, and it ripples faintly.)

_**Sabishisa kakusu Ichizu na omoi**_

(Cut to the group fighting a Fal'Cie. Selene is standing on a nearby pillar.)

_**Kimi no KOKORO wo kizutsukete iru**_

(Selene blasts the Fal'Cie with her magic. Vanille turns to face her and smiles.)

_**Hitomi no oku no himitsu**_

(The camera pans into Selene's eye as a tear falls from it.)

_**Suikomare sou na**_

(She looks towards the sky, everyone at her side.)

_**Egao no ura no shinjitsu ni**_

(Cut to a shot of Lightning and Selene standing back to back, with shots of their faces behind each of them. Lightning's face is as cold as usual, and Selene mirrors it.)

_**Yawaraka na ai**_

(Sazh's Chocobo chick comes to rest on Selene's shoulder, and she looks at it with some degree of wonder.)

_**Boku ga todoke ni yuku yo**_

(She slightly smiles, and she releases the Chocobo.)

_**Furetara koware sou na**_

(Cut to repeated shadowed flashbacks of what appear to be battles.)

_**Nukumori ga ima**_

(Show that some of the warriors are L'Cie and Fal'Cie, and show the Lunarian brands.)

_**Kako wo hanare afuredasu**_

(The flashbacks disappear in a wind, and Selene's face shows determination.)

_**Zutto soba ni iru kara**_

(The rest of the group walks up and joins her. Sazh's chocobo chick flies and rests on her her shoulder.)

_**Kanashii kage ni madowanai de**_

(It ends with the group facing the audience, the Fal'Cie behind them with evil smiles on their faces, the two known deities behind the Fal'Cie, and a shadowy figure behind them. It is all on a black background.)

"Who are you?"

"Ummm...My name's Hope…"

"I am Selene of the Lunarian Empire. Tell me, what is this place?"

"This is the crystallized version of Lake Bresha. A Fal'Cie that we all defeated crashed here and crystallized it...after...well...turning us into L'Cie."

Her face turned to hatred. Hope looked at her in confusion.

"Fellbloods, eh? Very well then."

"What's a Fellblood?" Hope asked.

"You are!"

At that time, a flash occurred in her hand, and while it was empty previously, she was now holding a pair of silver shurikens!

"What are you-" Hope began before being interrupted. She tossed them at Hope!

"Woah!"

He ducked just in time to avoid being bifurcated by the two spinning blades. He jumped aside, but soon realized the throwing stars weren't stopping just with that. They were spinning and flying all over the place the party was standing on!

"Watch out!"

The first shuriken flew past Snow and Lightning, nearly grazing both of them by the shoulder. Lightning pulled out her Blazing Edge the moment she ducked to evade, and she didn't let her eyes off Selene, knowing that Selene was out for blood!

"Hm!" Lightning grunted.

"Hey!" Snow yelled as he barely dodged the unfamiliar weapon. After all, no one on Cocoon or Pulse had shurikens, and no one was quite like her! The other shuriken flew at Vanille next, and she just narrowly jumped to dodge it, holding her skirt as she landed. The shuriken flew past Sazh, and he ducked down to evade. He could almost feel the shuriken slicing up the top hair in his afro. The chocobo chick that was hiding in his hair jumped out in order to evade.

"Ah!" Vanille shrieked.

"Damn, woman!" Sazh cursed.

It is worth mentioning that neither of the thrown weapons seemed ordinary: they both released some kind of sparkling effect that lit their blades brightly as they spun, making them look almost like a pair of tiny UFOs. The effect ceased as soon as they flew back into her hand, where she grabbed them without the slightest scratch.

"What was that about?" Hope wondered.

"Hope, get down!" Lightning ordered.

Hope just barely got a glimpse of Lightning, and the first thing he saw was her aiming her gunblade, now in gun mode, at Selene. And since he was in the way, he only had seconds to react before the soldier lady released a barrage of bullets upon Selene. He jumped aside just in time, now with his boomerang at hand, and watched if Lightning's fire on Selene had any effect.

It didn't.

Selene's quick arm motion blocked and sliced every bullet sent her way, using her shurikens now as daggers to repel the fire. It was insanely fast-one could only follow the changed position of her arms, but not the motion that lead to it!

"So fast!" Hope said in awe.

And once she was fed up with gunfire, Lightning morphed her weapon back into a sword, then charged magical energy into her other hand…

And released a powerful sphere of magic called Ruin, aiming it at Selene. It blew up right in front of her face, and set her sights in smoke.

"The early bird catches the prey." Lightning said.

"Or so they say."

"What?"

As soon as the dust settled, Selene revealed that she was in no way harmed even from an impact that large. Another thing that was evident was a thin layer of shiny matter that she cast in front of her, as a forcefield of sorts.

"So this is the magic of the Fallen. It's my first time seeing it." Selene admitted.

"She survived?" Vanille said in shock.

"No, more like the attack never hit her in the first place." Sazh said in turn, deducing from the barrier.

"Why are you attacking us?!" Hope demanded.

"I don't know why the Fellblood's drip awoke me, but I will not owe you anything for it." Selene replied. Hope was only puzzled by her mystical words. He'd only figured out one thing.

"Fellblood… You mean l'Cie?" Hope asked.

"Like it matters!" Selene exclaimed. She threw her shuriken at Hope, only this time he deflected them with his boomerang. Soon afterwards, he tossed it at her…

Only for her to deflect it in the following manner: she simply swung her hand, and in turn, a powerful gust of wind pushed the boomerang aside. Hope immediately knew it was magic.

"Magic? Is she a l'Cie too?" He wondered.

"Chia!" She exclaimed.

Selene swiped her hand again, only this time, instead of wind, she created a series of crescent-shaped lights that flew in the Hope's direction.

"Watch out!"

Snow managed to push Hope sideways just in time, and the crescent lights impaled the crystal structures behind them, either slashing or crushing them in the process. Snow picked himself up, along with Hope, before cracking his knuckles.

"Something's telling me she is not the kind of person to be persuaded with sweet talk. Fine then, looks like we're gonna have to beat some answers out of her first." Snow reasoned.

"Cover me!"

Lightning charged when she gave Sazh this order.

"I'm on it!"

Sazh pointed both his guns at Selene and started firing like it was the front line of a battlefield. Selene simply put her barrier up again, and blocked every last bullet.

And that's when Lightning came close enough to engage in melee combat. Although Selene appeared to have been startled by her near presence, it didn't seem to matter: as fast as Lightning was trying to slash and slice, Selene simply evaded every attack. Eventually, she jumped backwards, and readied her shurikens again…

But someone was a bit quicker. Snow grabbed her by the wrist, much to her surprise…

"Have a nice flight!" He said, smiling.

And tossed her like a wet towel! For someone with Snow's physique, it was the same as throwing a spear.

"Oh yeah! Did you see that?"

But then he looked up to his thrown victim.

"Eh?"

And saw this: Selene was falling very slowly, in an upright position. As the matter of fact, it didn't seem like she was falling at all, she was literally stuck in mid air, glaring at Snow.

_**Ending: Inori no Kanata (Beyond the Prayer) by Akiko Shikata**_

_**awaki sora no hazama hitohira no hana wa kobore**_

(A beautiful flower's petals tear off into the wind. They flow past Selene and the L'Cie.)

_**mai tatsu kin iro no kaze ni hirari yura re**_

(Snow holds Serah's crystal tear close to his heart. Selene looks at the back of her hand.)

_**doko e mukau**_

(Cut to the back of Selene's hand, with a L'Cie brand and a tear on it.)

_**mawari dasu toki no haguruma**_

(Cut to a closed-eyed Selene, standing on a crystal pillar in the moonlight. The camera zooms to her face, revealing a single tear from her left eye.)

_**karamiau omoi oikakete te o basu**_

(Lightning and Selene stand back to back on the same pillar just seen, in the moonlight. They both hold their hands over their hearts.)

_**ori na sareru mirai to kako no kawaranu negai yo**_

(Cut to a scene of a nude Selene in chains.)

_**donna kurushimi sae mo koe te kanata e ha ga takeru**_

(She breaks free, and flies to a full moon in the distance.)

_**aoki hitomi no soko hitotsubu no shizuku kobore**_

(Selene looks down in doubt, and she is crying.)

_**sazameku gin no izumi yurare yurete**_

(Pan out, and reveal that she is levitating above a silver fountain. Her tear disturbs it.)

_**nani o utsusu**_

(Show her reflection in the fountain. It is disturbed by her tear, which turns to crystal.)

_**tachi kire nu kanashimi no wato**_

(Selene's tears form chains that bind her.)

_**wasurare nu tsumi no wabachi o ima toki hanatsu**_

(Vanille wipes her tears, and she breaks free of her chains, flying away. The two arrive to meet the rest of the group. They look towards the full moon in the sky.)


	2. Chapter 2: Reluctance

Chapter 2: Reluctance

"Oh, come ON!" Snow whined.

"She can fly as well now?" Sazh wondered, furious that Snow had just given her an advantage.

"Chia!"

Selene fired a second wave of crescent-shaped missiles of light. Snow crossed his arms in a guard position just when the attack hit him. While some lights were deflected and shattered his surroundings, one of them hit him square in the chest, and pushed him back with enough force to actually drop him to the ground. He rubbed his nose as he was trying to get back up.

"What the heck is this girl made of?" He wondered.

Selene was still in mid-air, and by somehow defying gravity, she eventually flew all the way to a higher standing point: a tall crystal cliff, where she looked down on her enemies.

"As long as Lunarian blood runs in my veins, the likes of you will never defeat me." She stated.

"Is she insane?!" Hope wondered.

"Since she can defy gravity just like that, it's only fair for it to have some kind of catch. Insane it is." Sazh said, agreeing with the short boy.

"Hope, Vanille, shoot her with all the magic you've got." Lightning ordered.

"I thought we all concluded that's a terrible idea!" Sazh replied.

"Just do it!" Lightning growled. Without much asking, Sazh, Vanille and Hope all shot various versions of random elemental spells at Selene. Orbs of fire, water, ice, condensed air and several more types were shot right in her direction, but sadly they all met the same fate: Selene was simply holding her palm forward, and with it generated the barrier that blocked all the attacks.

Meanwhile, Lightning shot a few more rounds in her direction as well… only her precise aim was not directed at her, but at the cliff she was standing on.

"Fellborne magic cannot penetrate my _Paling_! Your efforts are wasted!" She said, annoyed by the wasted magic.

But while she was busy talking, she noticed massive cracks in the crystal she was standing on. She merely blinked when…

"Snow, now!"

Snow was already up on his feet, and his hand formed in a fist was generating a dense aura of magic.

"Here it comes!"

He leapt forward, and punched the ground with immense force! So immense that the entire structure of that crystal collapsed. Tiny cracks Lightning made broke entirely, shattered, and Selene lost her footing. Her eyes widened.

"What?!"

A great burst of shining dust and blue crystal erupted beneath her feet, and the next thing she knew, she was rolling down a shattering cliffside, occasionally hit by falling debris, and too disoriented to act on her own. She was thudding all the way downhill, cursing as well.

And by the time she finally reached the bottom, and barely got up, Lightning was already holding her blade against her neck.

INTRODUCTION: Innocent Starter by Nana Mizuki

_**Hiza wo kakaete Heya no katasumi**_

(Hope is sitting in a corner, his knees curled up to his chest.)

_**Itsumo fuan de Furueteita**_

(Sazh's chocobo chick flies down to his shoulder, and gives him a gentle peck. He looks up, and smiles.)

_**"Hontou" wo shiru koto ga kowakute TOBIRA wo tojita**_

(Cut to Hope alongside the rest of the L'Cie. Selene is standing away from them, glaring at them.)

_**Yasashii uso ni Ibasho mitsukete**_

(Selene looks to the moon, her hand over her heart.)

_**Yume no naka ni nige konda**_

(She prepares to fight Lightning and her friends.)

_**Dare mo shiranai Kodoku no umi wo**_

(Lightning draws her Blazefire Saber, and charges to Selene.)

_**Fukai ao ni someteku**_

(Cut to a shot of Selene standing on water, eyes closed, her hand closed over her heart. The water is slightly disturbed by Selene standing over it, and it ripples faintly.)

_**Sabishisa kakusu Ichizu na omoi**_

(Cut to the group fighting a Fal'Cie. Selene is standing on a nearby pillar.)

_**Kimi no KOKORO wo kizutsukete iru**_

(Selene blasts the Fal'Cie with her magic. Vanille turns to face her and smiles.)

_**Hitomi no oku no himitsu**_

(The camera pans into Selene's eye as a tear falls from it.)

_**Suikomare sou na**_

(She looks towards the sky, everyone at her side.)

_**Egao no ura no shinjitsu ni**_

(Cut to a shot of Lightning and Selene standing back to back, with shots of their faces behind each of them. Lightning's face is as cold as usual, and Selene mirrors it.)

_**Yawaraka na ai**_

(Sazh's Chocobo chick comes to rest on Selene's shoulder, and she looks at it with some degree of wonder.)

_**Boku ga todoke ni yuku yo**_

(She slightly smiles, and she releases the Chocobo.)

_**Furetara koware sou na**_

(Cut to repeated shadowed flashbacks of what appear to be battles.)

_**Nukumori ga ima**_

(Show that some of the warriors are L'Cie and Fal'Cie, and show the Lunarian brands.)

_**Kako wo hanare afuredasu**_

(The flashbacks disappear in a wind, and Selene's face shows determination.)

_**Zutto soba ni iru kara**_

(The rest of the group walks up and joins her. Sazh's chocobo chick flies and rests on her her shoulder.)

_**Kanashii kage ni madowanai de**_

(It ends with the group facing the audience, the Fal'Cie behind them with evil smiles on their faces, the two known deities behind the Fal'Cie, and a shadowy figure behind them. It is all on a black background.)

None of them smiled, if that's what you mean. Selene didn't know how to handle defeat, and Lightning was.. well, smiling is not her strong side.

"How? How did you Fellblood…" Selene began.

"You are overconfident in your skills. I figured you'd block attacks sent towards you, but you wouldn't care evading those that missed. That's how you lost your momentum." Lightning explained. Selene made a 'tch' noise.

"What? Are you saying I lost to a lowlife strategy like _that_?" Selene snapped.

"Tactic's a tactic."

Lightning turned to Snow.

"Can you manage some rope to restrain her?"

"Hold that thought. I have a much better idea."

A few whelps and a scream later…

"This is outrageous! Let me go!" Selene snapped, furious.

Selene was kneeling before the l'Cie, restrained on the ground… with a huge chunk of ice Snow created around her entire abdomen. She was holding her hands behind her back, which is where they remained frozen.

"I can barely feel my fingers! What kind of barbaric treatment are you Fellbloods trying to provide?!" Selene demanded.

"And the owl mocked the mockingbird. You were the one giving us the barbaric assault first, lady!" Sazh replied.

"Right, and after we got you out of that crystal, too." Vanille agreed, folding her arms.

Why did you do it? And why do you keep calling us Fellbloods?" Hope asked. She puffed sideways.

"Hmpf. Like I'll tell you anything. If you don't know it, you're just stupid."

"And you fell for our stupid tactics. So what does that make you?" Lightning pointed out.

"Shut up! I could have obliterated you within seconds if I wanted. I showed mercy! You should be thankful!" Selene snapped.

"I think someone's a few feathers short of a chocobo." Sazh said. His chocobo peeked out, and made its signature 'kweh!' noise in response.

"If you're trying to say she's all coo-coo, I agree. There's got to be a point in all this." Snow agreed. A silence tore for a few seconds.

"Alright. Now that we have that settled, we can talk." Snow said.

"What is the Lunarian Empire?" Lightning asked, arms folded. Selene sighed. She had no choice but to talk. After all, if they wanted to kill her, they would've done that already.

"...In a realm beyond your wildest imagination, we live in harmony with one another, peace maintained by my father and my mother. My father leads the people, and my mother is the Voice of the Gods. That realm is called Lunaria. The civilization inside of it is called the Lunarian Empire."

"Another realm?!" Sazh exclaimed, his eyes wide as two full moons.

"Yes, a parallel dimension. Very few in this dimension know of our existence, but we are very well aware of your existence."

"Ookay...Why did you call us 'fellbloods'?" Snow asked for the millionth time. She relented.

"Because your powers are that of the Fallen Ones!"

"Fallen Ones are what you call the Fal'Cie?" Hope asked.

"Exactly."

"You know, just because someone's powers are dark doesn't mean that the person is evil." Vanille said.

"...Do you honestly expect me to believe that?"

"What do we have to do to prove that to you?!" Lightning demanded.

"...I will walk with you for some time. I will judge you by your actions, and make a decision then."

"Before I unfreeze you...Could you tell us a bit more about the people who live on Lunaria?" Snow asked.

"We, fittingly, are called Lunarians. We are born with innate magical prowess, and are taught from a very young age to be aware of it. A true Lunarian has a birthmark somewhere on their body that symbolizes their blood. It varies depending on what family they are born into-the royal family mark is different than that of a mechanic's mark. We all live in harmony. The Empire is beautiful…"

"Why are you here?" Vanille asked.

"The peace is threatened, and it is my duty as the princess to awaken the seven Lunarian Gods from their slumber. I refuse to reveal any more!"

"Fine then. You've revealed plenty, Selene." Lightning said, grunting and nodding at Snow. Snow released her, and, much to her shock, Vanille healed her. Just then, an old friend arrived.

"So, what did I miss-well, hello there! And who is this?"

"...I am Selene of the Lunarian Empire. I have nothing else to say to you."

"Yeesh. Somebody's been taking bitchy pills…"

"Fang! Don't swear!" Vanille scolded. Selene looked down at Vanille.

"We're gonna get caught up in battles. I have a feeling you're gonna wanna fight. Might as well have you at full strength."

"...Let's go."

_**Ending: Inori no Kanata (Beyond the Prayer) by Akiko Shikata**_

_**awaki sora no hazama hitohira no hana wa kobore**_

(A beautiful flower's petals tear off into the wind. They flow past Selene and the L'Cie.)

_**mai tatsu kin iro no kaze ni hirari yura re**_

(Snow holds Serah's crystal tear close to his heart. Selene looks at the back of her hand.)

_**doko e mukau**_

(Cut to the back of Selene's hand, with a L'Cie brand and a tear on it.)

_**mawari dasu toki no haguruma**_

(Cut to a closed-eyed Selene, standing on a crystal pillar in the moonlight. The camera zooms to her face, revealing a single tear from her left eye.)

_**karamiau omoi oikakete te o basu**_

(Lightning and Selene stand back to back on the same pillar just seen, in the moonlight. They both hold their hands over their hearts.)

_**ori na sareru mirai to kako no kawaranu negai yo**_

(Cut to a scene of a nude Selene in chains.)

_**donna kurushimi sae mo koe te kanata e ha ga takeru**_

(She breaks free, and flies to a full moon in the distance.)

_**aoki hitomi no soko hitotsubu no shizuku kobore**_

(Selene looks down in doubt, and she is crying.)

_**sazameku gin no izumi yurare yurete**_

(Pan out, and reveal that she is levitating above a silver fountain. Her tear disturbs it.)

_**nani o utsusu**_

(Show her reflection in the fountain. It is disturbed by her tear, which turns to crystal.)

_**tachi kire nu kanashimi no wato**_

(Selene's tears form chains that bind her.)

_**wasurare nu tsumi no wabachi o ima toki hanatsu**_

(Vanille wipes her tears, and she breaks free of her chains, flying away. The two arrive to meet the rest of the group. They look towards the full moon in the sky.)


	3. Chapter 3: Pulse

Chapter 3: Pulse

"We have to find a new airship. After all, we have to go to Pulse...and this time, not have the energy of a being from an alternate dimension interfere." Sazh said, reminding the others. Selene glared at him.

"H-Hey! I didn't mean anything bad by that!"

"Pulse...where the Fallen Ones first came into existence. Born from twin deities, and those deities were born from another." Selene said to herself.

"Something the matter, Princess?" Snow asked.

"I have nothing to say to you, Fellblood." Selene snapped.

"Okay, let's get something clear right now! You can't just keep on calling us 'Fellblood' or whatever it is! If we're gonna travel together, let's at least call each other by our names!"

"...Fine. But do not think that my opinions on you will change overnight." Selene reluctantly agreed.

"Okay then! I'm Vanille, and this is Fang!" Vanille chirped.

"The name's Snow, and our pilot is Sazh. The little boy is Hope." Snow continued.

"...Lightning." Lightning said.

"You know my name." Selene said. By then, they'd escaped Lake Bresha and were walking towards an Ark in hopes of finding a new ship. Lucky them, they found one. Although the L'Cie sat together, Selene managed to find an isolated seat towards the back. Hope turned around and looked down with sadness at the lone wolf who insisted on isolating herself.

INTRODUCTION: Innocent Starter by Nana Mizuki

_**Hiza wo kakaete Heya no katasumi**_

(Hope is sitting in a corner, his knees curled up to his chest.)

_**Itsumo fuan de Furueteita**_

(Sazh's chocobo chick flies down to his shoulder, and gives him a gentle peck. He looks up, and smiles.)

_**"Hontou" wo shiru koto ga kowakute TOBIRA wo tojita**_

(Cut to Hope alongside the rest of the L'Cie. Selene is standing away from them, glaring at them.)

_**Yasashii uso ni Ibasho mitsukete**_

(Selene looks to the moon, her hand over her heart.)

_**Yume no naka ni nige konda**_

(She prepares to fight Lightning and her friends.)

_**Dare mo shiranai Kodoku no umi wo**_

(Lightning draws her Blazefire Saber, and charges to Selene.)

_**Fukai ao ni someteku**_

(Cut to a shot of Selene standing on water, eyes closed, her hand closed over her heart. The water is slightly disturbed by Selene standing over it, and it ripples faintly.)

_**Sabishisa kakusu Ichizu na omoi**_

(Cut to the group fighting a Fal'Cie. Selene is standing on a nearby pillar.)

_**Kimi no KOKORO wo kizutsukete iru**_

(Selene blasts the Fal'Cie with her magic. Vanille turns to face her and smiles.)

_**Hitomi no oku no himitsu**_

(The camera pans into Selene's eye as a tear falls from it.)

_**Suikomare sou na**_

(She looks towards the sky, everyone at her side.)

_**Egao no ura no shinjitsu ni**_

(Cut to a shot of Lightning and Selene standing back to back, with shots of their faces behind each of them. Lightning's face is as cold as usual, and Selene mirrors it.)

_**Yawaraka na ai**_

(Sazh's Chocobo chick comes to rest on Selene's shoulder, and she looks at it with some degree of wonder.)

_**Boku ga todoke ni yuku yo**_

(She slightly smiles, and she releases the Chocobo.)

_**Furetara koware sou na**_

(Cut to repeated shadowed flashbacks of what appear to be battles.)

_**Nukumori ga ima**_

(Show that some of the warriors are L'Cie and Fal'Cie, and show the Lunarian brands.)

_**Kako wo hanare afuredasu**_

(The flashbacks disappear in a wind, and Selene's face shows determination.)

_**Zutto soba ni iru kara**_

(The rest of the group walks up and joins her. Sazh's chocobo chick flies and rests on her her shoulder.)

_**Kanashii kage ni madowanai de**_

(It ends with the group facing the audience, the Fal'Cie behind them with evil smiles on their faces, the two known deities behind the Fal'Cie, and a shadowy figure behind them. It is all on a black background.)

Although the rest of the group was shaken by the ride, Selene wasn't phased. Lightning looked back at her for a second, but the odd thought that crossed her mind left-they'd just crossed into Gran Pulse. Fang and Vanille smiled at the sight of the sky. The other L'Cie were shocked, since Cocoon didn't have a sky quite like this, but Selene didn't seem to really care. Hope and Vanille walked over to her, and sat next to her.

"There was a reason as to why I sat alone."

"Yea, yea, I know. We're supposed to be crazy monsters with dark powers. You know, the way you act is even worse than the way that the people of Cocoon act towards us! I can understand their fears, because of the lies that the Sanctum has spread, but why can't you accept the fact that not all L'Cie are evil?!" Hope demanded. Selene closed her eyes, and a single tear fell down her face.

"...Apollonir…" She whispered.

"Huh?"

"It's nothing!" She snapped, wiping away the one tear that escaped her eye.

Just then, something grazed the side of the aircraft. Fang laughed.

"Playful little critter, isn't he?" She joked.

"Yea, well play with someone else." Lightning said, cold as ever.

"Happens all the time!" Vanille said, giggling.

"He thinks we're lunch." Fang said.

"Yeah, like a L'Cie food buffet!" Sazh agreed.

"Cie-food. Cute." Lightning said sarcastically. Just then, it tore through the craft. Vanille and Hope were sent flying out of the craft that was now heading for hell. Instead of just leaving them, it went for another shot at Selene. No denying what it was-it was a Fal'Cie hell bent on killing her. She tried to blast it with magic, but it hit her so hard that she was knocked out cold. Hope grabbed her, and Vanille supported her with one arm.

"Fang, get 'em!" Snow yelled.

"I'm on it!"

The Pulsian woman jumped, Lightning following her, called forth Bahamut's crystal, and she threw it. Lightning shot the crystal, and the massive dragon-like Eidolon came forth. The two female warriors managed to get themselves on the back of the massive beast; a smile across Fang's face.

"Let's go!"

She guided Bahamut down to where Sazh and Snow were. The two men performed a leap of faith, and they managed to get on the beast. They turned to go save Vanille and Hope.

"Are you okay?!" Vanille asked.

"Oh yeah! I'm GREAT!" Hope replied sarcastically. Vanille managed to use a free hand to get herself, Hope, and the unconscious Selene on Bahamut. Fang was still smiling.

"Home sweet home. Welcome to Gran Pulse." She said as the now-empty airship fell, and they rode Bahamut safely to the ground. Deciding it would be better to wait until Selene awoke to make any further progress, the L'Cie settled into a cave for the night. Just as the sun set, Selene awoke, and was shocked to discover the L'Cie surrounding her. Lightning was as emotionless as ever, Sazh was asleep (that is, until his Chocobo chick mercilessly pecked him awake!), Snow was preparing food, Fang was standing guard, and the two youngest L'Cie were standing over her, smiling as she crawled into a sitting position. Fang turned, and smiled at the Lunarian Princess.

"Mornin', Selene! Did ya take a good nap there?" Fang asked.

"...Why did you protect me? Why did you not let the Fallen One kill me?" Selene asked.

"We're all fighting this Focus to the end. You may not be a L'Cie like us, but our goal is pretty much the same. We need all the help we can get, even if you don't exactly like the fact we're L'Cie." Lightning explained.

"I guess that makes sense."

"And here you go!"

Initially, silence rang throughout the camp as they ate.

"Thank you."

The L'Cie looked at Selene in shock.

"...I was saying thank you for the meal and caring for me! Nothing else!" Selene snapped, embarrassed. While most of them laughed, Lightning remained as emotionless as ever. It was obvious to Selene by now-this was going to be one hell of an Awakening. Nonetheless, she had to see it through to the end. She had to complete her task.

The peace was soon disturbed by a massive earthquake. Everyone snapped to their feet and readied their weapons. It didn't entirely shock them as to what the 'earthquake' was-a Fal'Cie had found them. They all noticed an armament on it. To the L'Cie, it looked strange. To Selene, it was something all too familiar.

_"I have come for you, Lunarian Princess!" _

"Why does that NOT surprise me?"

_"Duel me...or the boy dies!" _

Hope let out a cry of terror as the Fal'Cie threw him into the air, and bound him with a series of magic chains. If those chains snapped, Hope would fall to his death. This made Selene _beyond_ pissed. A Fal'Cie was willing to kill one of its fate-bound servants just to get her to Duel it?

"You're willing to kill one of your own servants just to ensnare me into a Duel?! That's low, even for one of you lowlife scum! Fine! Prepare to be silenced!"

With a series of complicated mechanical motions that were somewhat guided by Selene's graceful hands, the twin shurikens became a Duel Disk. She called forth her Deck, and loaded it into the Disk. The Fal'Cie was already ready.

"DUEL!" Both yelled.

_**Ending: Inori no Kanata (Beyond the Prayer) by Akiko Shikata**_

_**awaki sora no hazama hitohira no hana wa kobore**_

(A beautiful flower's petals tear off into the wind. They flow past Selene and the L'Cie.)

_**mai tatsu kin iro no kaze ni hirari yura re**_

(Snow holds Serah's crystal tear close to his heart. Selene looks at the back of her hand.)

_**doko e mukau**_

(Cut to the back of Selene's hand, with a L'Cie brand and a tear on it.)

_**mawari dasu toki no haguruma**_

(Cut to a closed-eyed Selene, standing on a crystal pillar in the moonlight. The camera zooms to her face, revealing a single tear from her left eye.)

_**karamiau omoi oikakete te o basu**_

(Lightning and Selene stand back to back on the same pillar just seen, in the moonlight. They both hold their hands over their hearts.)

_**ori na sareru mirai to kako no kawaranu negai yo**_

(Cut to a scene of a nude Selene in chains.)

_**donna kurushimi sae mo koe te kanata e ha ga takeru**_

(She breaks free, and flies to a full moon in the distance.)

_**aoki hitomi no soko hitotsubu no shizuku kobore**_

(Selene looks down in doubt, and she is crying.)

_**sazameku gin no izumi yurare yurete**_

(Pan out, and reveal that she is levitating above a silver fountain. Her tear disturbs it.)

_**nani o utsusu**_

(Show her reflection in the fountain. It is disturbed by her tear, which turns to crystal.)

_**tachi kire nu kanashimi no wato**_

(Selene's tears form chains that bind her.)

_**wasurare nu tsumi no wabachi o ima toki hanatsu**_

(Vanille wipes her tears, and she breaks free of her chains, flying away. The two arrive to meet the rest of the group. They look towards the full moon in the sky.)


	4. Chapter 4: Nightmare (Part 1)

Chapter 4: Nightmare (Part 1)

In perfect tandem, Adonis and Selene began their battle of destiny with one simple word:

"Duel!"

Adonis: LP: 4000

Selene: LP: 4000

With the signature cold and uncaring nature that all Fal'Cie seemed to possess, Adonis pridefully announced, "I'll take the first move. Draw!"

He didn't hesitate in making his move.

"I summon the Crystality Wingshard."

The summoned monster had a weird appearance, not typical for any model of common monsters: entirely made of crystal with a blueish hue, it was in fact a flying chunk of shining rock supported by a pair of crystal wings. The only notable feature on it was a marble-white human face between the wings, resembling a silent theatrical mask. It also had a pair of very tiny, rudimentary arms swinging beneath this face. _ATK: 900/ LV3_

"Crystality?" Selene wondered. She figured it was related to what happened to L'Cie who do fulfill their Focus-they became crystal.

Adonis pulled out a card from his hand.

"Next, I will activate the Continuous Spell card, Crystal Destiny."

The scene on that card he played was almost reminiscencing to the observing l'Cie: it was depicting an unfortunate man trying to grasp for the light, when it was actually been sucked into a vortex of crystal shards. Lightning wanted to punch something after recalling the horrifying memory of her own sister being turned to crystal, and Snow was the same, for he was promised to Serah.

"This card's effect is that, once per turn, when a Crystality monster is destroyed, I can draw a card, and if that card is a Crystality monster, it can be Special summoned. (sets a card) I set a card face-down, and end my turn like this." Adonis said coldly.

"A weak monster, and a Continuous Spell… I see, this won't be so difficult. My turn, draw!" Selene said, recounting what just happened, and drawing.

"I summon Lunar Lancehead!"

Selene summoned another weird-looking monster: this one was a golden mech of sorts, with a huge moon-shaped head with a large grin on an otherwise star-shaped body, and the face was so large it overtook the greatest part of its torso. It was holding a large lance and a shield with its otherwise tiny hands. _ATK: 1600/LV4_

"At this point, Lancehead's effect will activate: when this card is Normal summoned, and I control no other monsters, it increases its Attack points by 500 and its level by 1." She explained, as required by the laws of Dueling.

With a golden aura surrounding it, Lancehead's body suddenly doubled in size as its stats increased.

_Lunar Lancehead: ATK: 1600… 2100/ LV4… LV5_

Meanwhile, Selene picked a card from her hand, and smiled confidently at her opponent.

INTRODUCTION: Innocent Starter by Nana Mizuki

_**Hiza wo kakaete Heya no katasumi**_

(Hope is sitting in a corner, his knees curled up to his chest.)

_**Itsumo fuan de Furueteita**_

(Sazh's chocobo chick flies down to his shoulder, and gives him a gentle peck. He looks up, and smiles.)

_**"Hontou" wo shiru koto ga kowakute TOBIRA wo tojita**_

(Cut to Hope alongside the rest of the L'Cie. Selene is standing away from them, glaring at them.)

_**Yasashii uso ni Ibasho mitsukete**_

(Selene looks to the moon, her hand over her heart.)

_**Yume no naka ni nige konda**_

(She prepares to fight Lightning and her friends.)

_**Dare mo shiranai Kodoku no umi wo**_

(Lightning draws her Blazefire Saber, and charges to Selene.)

_**Fukai ao ni someteku**_

(Cut to a shot of Selene standing on water, eyes closed, her hand closed over her heart. The water is slightly disturbed by Selene standing over it, and it ripples faintly.)

_**Sabishisa kakusu Ichizu na omoi**_

(Cut to the group fighting a Fal'Cie. Selene is standing on a nearby pillar.)

_**Kimi no KOKORO wo kizutsukete iru**_

(Selene blasts the Fal'Cie with her magic. Vanille turns to face her and smiles.)

_**Hitomi no oku no himitsu**_

(The camera pans into Selene's eye as a tear falls from it.)

_**Suikomare sou na**_

(She looks towards the sky, everyone at her side.)

_**Egao no ura no shinjitsu ni**_

(Cut to a shot of Lightning and Selene standing back to back, with shots of their faces behind each of them. Lightning's face is as cold as usual, and Selene mirrors it.)

_**Yawaraka na ai**_

(Sazh's Chocobo chick comes to rest on Selene's shoulder, and she looks at it with some degree of wonder.)

_**Boku ga todoke ni yuku yo**_

(She slightly smiles, and she releases the Chocobo.)

_**Furetara koware sou na**_

(Cut to repeated shadowed flashbacks of what appear to be battles.)

_**Nukumori ga ima**_

(Show that some of the warriors are L'Cie and Fal'Cie, and show the Lunarian brands.)

_**Kako wo hanare afuredasu**_

(The flashbacks disappear in a wind, and Selene's face shows determination.)

_**Zutto soba ni iru kara**_

(The rest of the group walks up and joins her. Sazh's chocobo chick flies and rests on her her shoulder.)

_**Kanashii kage ni madowanai de**_

(It ends with the group facing the audience, the Fal'Cie behind them with evil smiles on their faces, the two known deities behind the Fal'Cie, and a shadowy figure behind them. It is all on a black background.)

"You must think you're so smart. I know what you're after. You set up a weak monster and a Spell that triggers when a monster is destroyed, thinking I wouldn't dare attacking it. But this was a distraction, right? Your real ace is that face-down card you intended to spring. So I'll get rid of it!"

She snapped her fingers to activate the card of her choice.

"I activate Mystical Space Typhoon! This card destroys one Spell or Trap card on the field, and I'll use it to get rid of your face-down card."

A mighty whirlwind coiled up and penetrated the set card on Adonis' side. Before it shattered, the card flipped up so Selene could see what it was. She'd seen it before.

"Silent Slumber, was it? That could've halted my attack. Just as I though, you're trying to protect your monster. Then I'll destroy it! Lunar Lancehead, attack Crystality Wingshard!"

The odd-looking golden lancer charged forward, and its lance penetrated the target's face, leaving behind a massive set of cracks, which soon caused the Wingshard to shatter, combust, and explode.

Adonis: LP: 2800

The Fal'Cie couldn't resist something of an evil smirk.

"With this, Crystal Destiny activates its effect. But first, I activate the ability of Crystality Wingshard in a chain."

Selene's eyes widened a little bit.

"What, a chain?" Selene exclaimed.

"When Crystality Wingshard is destroyed, it can Special Summon a level 3 Crystality monster from my deck. I'll Special Summon Crystality Knight." He explained.

As the card of Wingshard was pulled into the abyss, another card was thrown out of the dark whirl, and Adonis played it. The summoned monster only vaguely resembled a knight, it can more easily be described as a mass of crystals just shaped like a knight, with a pinned head and a large coned lance as a right arm. Its entire left arm was missing. _ATK: 1500/ LV3_

The creature which everyone made of flesh present despised continued.

"Now the effect of Crystal Destiny can resolve. I can draw a card, and if that card is a Crystality monster, it is Special Summoned at the spot."

"Just because you have a deck full of those things doesn't mean you'll actually draw it." She scoffed. He laughed.

"I disagree. Humans and even Lunarians tend to obey their decks like priests obey their gods, but us fal'Cie are the masters of fate that shapes the world." He said, an air of arrogance and pride in his voice, as he was truly a deity and Selene was just some bug he could squash.

"What?" Selene said, anger in her voice. Her hatred for the mechanical being was only growing with every unnecessary word he spoke. Adonis put his hand up…

"Destiny shapes the world regardless of choice, and fate decides the draws of a duelist. Behold as the power that controls destiny, now controls the very draws of mine!"

And the hand was surrounded by an odd, glimmering light. The same light appeared atop of his deck, it almost seemed like the card was encased in crystal. He then drew his card and…

"This is the power of a fal'Cie. Miracle Draw!"

"Miracle Draw!?" Selene exclaimed. She couldn't believe that kind of power existed. Fang got pissed.

"That's cheating, you son-of-a-bitch!" Fang yelled, cursing at the massive thing. He just simply smirked at her, and then proceeded to resume his turn. The card, in his hand, was still radiating a foreign light.

"I drew a 2nd Crystality Wingshard, so it is Special Summoned."

"IF YOU LIVE THIS, YOU ARE GONNA DIE BY MY HANDS, YOU HEAR ME?! I AM GOING TO SHOVE MY LANCE SO FAR UP YOUR ASS THAT IT'S GONNA COME OUT OF YOUR EMPTY SKULL THAT YOU GOT FROM YO MAMMA!" Fang yelled even louder than before, angrily ramming her lance into the ground with each word. Her threats appeared to be unnoticed. The Fal'Cie continued to act on his turn.

And just like that, there was a second Wingshard floating next to Crystality Knight on Adonis' side. _ATK: 900/ LV3_

Selene spat at him.

"You indeed are Fallen, to fall down to such tricks…" She said, disgusted. She picked a card from her hand.

"I Special summon Moon Runner! This monster can be Special summoned when the Battle phase ends if one of my monsters dealt battle damage to you."

With the snap of the princess's fingers, a new monster appeared. it was a soldier of sorts, dressed entirely in a black spandex suit with occasional white stripes. It had a red-eyed helmet with blunt extensions on the sides. In a way, it resembled a Super Sentai. _ATK: 900/ LV2_

"Then, when this card is summoned in this way, it gains Attack points equal to the damage you took." She said as she set a card.

_Moon Runner: ATK: 2100_

"I set a card and end my turn."

"My move then."

"I'll enter the Battle Phase immediately. And I attack Lunar Lancehead with Crystality Knight." He said.

The knight-shaped crystal statue picked its massive pointed arm and charged at Selene's side. Fang laughed.

"Ha! He really is stupid! His little friend is weaker than Selene's little friend!"

"At this point, Crystality Knight's effect activates. When fighting a monster with 1900 or more Attack points, his Attack points are decreased by 500." He began.

_Crystality Knight: ATK: 1000_

"Also, during this battle, it is my opponent that will take all the battle damage in my stead." He added, smirking. Fang's mouth hit the floor. Vanille gasped.

"No! That means Selene's gonna get hurt bad!" Vanille cried.

Crystality Knight and Lunar Lancehead clashed their spears, a short conflict that resulted in the complete shattering of Crystality Knight. However, the many shards it left behind then rained all over Lancehead, who covered his face with his arms. A handful of shards flew in Selene's direction…

"I won't let you! Trap, activate: Moon Gravity Intervention! (the card flips) Because of this card, neither one of us will take damage this turn from battles including monsters with 2000 or more Attack points, like Lancehead. And because you don't take any damage from the battle, no damage will be reflected to me!" Selene said quickly, managing to save her ass. The effect of this trap was a bit odd. In an instant, a massive image of the moon just appeared above the field, and its gravitational influence pulled in all the shards headed Selene's way. The other flesh creatures were astonished for a moment, but the effect faded. Vanille breathed a sigh of relief. Selene wouldn't get hurt.

"However, because a Crystality monster was destroyed, Crystal Destiny allows me to draw a card and Special Summon any drawn Crystality monsters." He said, slightly angry that his plan was overcome. His hand glowed once again.

"With this hand of mine, the power that controls destiny will now make the draw of cards obey me. Miracle Draw!"

"OKAY, YOU CHEATING WHORE! IF SELENE CAN'T KILL YA, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE THE MOST PAINFUL DEATH I CAN DEAL OUT!" Fang yelled. Once again, she was ignored. Lightning rolled her eyes.

_I wonder if she realizes the fact that the Fal'Cie is completely ignoring her…_ Lightning thought. Another fascinating drawing sequence occurred, and of course he drew just what he needed.

"I Special Summon Crystality Sage."

His new monster once again resembled a crystal statue, held together with pearl-gray frames and armor, now resembling a bishop. _DEF: 2000/ LV4_

"I will release my Crystality Sage and Crystality Wingshard, to perform an Advance Summon!"

Both of his remaining monsters vanished into thin air.

"From the braces of eternity, the light that shines forever shall manifest into everlasting crystal. From frail light, a new crystal force shall rise! Appear, Crystality Archlord!"

It goes without saying that the new monster was entirely made of crystal. This one resembled a huge angel, decorated with marble-white frames and shiny orbs, wielding a crystal sword and carried on hollow wings. Its legs has no feet, and ended with crystalic tips instead. _ATK: 2800/ LV8_

"That must be his ace monster." Selene whispered to herself.

"I set 2 cards face-down. Turn end." Adonis said, a prideful smirk on his face as he set his cards. Selene grinned.

"Then I'll bring out mine. My turn, draw!"

"Moon Runner's Attack points now return to normal."

_Moon Runner: ATK: 900_

"And before I forget to mention… Moon Runner is a Tuner monster, so guess what that means. I'll tune my level 5 Lunar Lancehead with my Moon Runner!" She said, smiling.

Moon Runner jumped up, and just like that, it dissolved into 2 green rings, which formed a funnel that Lunar Lancehead flew through. As it did, the only thing remaining of him was a series of its external outlines, shining in bright orange. It revealed something like inner lights, which united with Moon Runner's hidden light.

5* + 2* = 7*

Selene began chanting, closing her eyes. An odd-looking circle appeared underneath her, and it gave her a brilliant sparkling effect.

"The brilliant moon guides my path with its neverending light! O divine beast, become incarnate in a brilliant dance of justice! Synchro Summon!"

The energy from the circle flowed around her as she performed a most mesmerizing dance. It spiralled to the moon, before descending back down to her, increasing in density as it did, until a closed, silver bud appeared behind her. It blossomed, and revealed the incredible beast that the ritual called forth. The flower faded the moment the beast left it.

"Rise, Chaos Eclipse Dragon!" Selene exclaimed as the magnificent beast lept from the moonflower. It was mostly silver, save for white wing membranes that had the faintest tinges of light blues and pink on the bottom edges. Its tail had an arrowhead point, and it almost seemed to be carved out of pure silver. Its scales smoothly blended into one another. Its claws were white, just like its wings. With twin silver horns pointed back from behind it, the beast was certainly impressive to most. Its belly scales didn't blend as well with the body, and thus could be discerned. Its fangs helped add some degree of intimidation to it. It opened its ice-blue eyes that were gentle yet frightening at the same time, and let out a terrifying roar.

_ATK: 2400/ LV7_

Vanille was speechless, and in admiration of the beautiful creature. The slight sparkle generated from the light reflecting off of its silver scales was enough to destroy whatever words she might've had. Fang smiled at it-she was going to spar with Chaos Eclipse Dragon if it killed her. Snow looked at the crystal tear in his hand and held it so it was inbetween the dragon's eye and him.

"Serah, help Selene out here, please." Snow whispered.

"That's quite the beast, I'll tell you!" Sazh said, impressed belief and smiling. The chocobo chick popped out and "kweh"ed in agreement.

"That's the most impressive and beautiful thing I've ever seen. It's got to be more powerful than any of the peacekeepers the Sanctum has." Lightning commented. Hope's eyes were wider than two full moons. For some reason, as he looked at the beast and its master, he couldn't help but think of his late mother, Nora.

"Mom…" He whispered. Adonis wasn't even remotely phased by the beast. He scoffed.

"So that is the art of the Synchro Summon. And this must be this Lunarian's chosen warrior I heard of." He said.

"Next, I Normal Summon Power Grinder!" She said. She immediately summoned the next monster: to make the description as simple as possible, it was a robot. An entirely white mecha with large gauntlets, and a pointy forward-pointing head. _ATK: 600/ LV4_

"When Power Grinder is Normal Summoned, it can gain Attack points equal to those of a Synchro monster on the field. In this case, he gains my Chaos Eclipse Dragon's power."

_Power Grinder: AK: 600… 3000_

"Alright! It's stronger than his monster now!" Vanille exclaimed, jumping.

"If she attacks him, he's gonna be a pile of nuts and bolts! Go for it, Selene!" Fang agreed.

"The damage to his Life Points will be enough to wipe him out!" Hope added.

"Something tells me he isn't going to let it end that easily…" Lightning said to herself. Selene looked at Fang for a second, and turned back to her robotic opponent.

"I'll be taking you out this turn! Chaos Eclipse Dragon has a special ability. It can banish himself along with another monster on the field into the Void Beyond, then return both during End phase. And when he does, the other monster's effects will be negated. But you won't last to see that, because I'll then have a clear shot at your Life points. Chaos Eclipse Dragon, use your ability, and banish Crystality Archlord! Silencing Eclipse!"

The dragon flew up into the air, and an eclipse occurred. It flew down into a hole that it generated from its own power, and dragged the Archlord with it. Selene smiled.

"Yes, now I'll-"

"I activate a Continuous Trap!" Adonis said, interrupting.

"What?"

"The Chain Beyond!"

The card revealed itself, flipping to face-up position.

"I was expecting Chaos Eclipse Dragon to activate its effect. This card is the countermeasure to that ability. The Chain Beyond will bind your dragon across the dimensions, and lock it up in the Void Beyond!"

A set of chains were shot out of the card, and into the rift in space created by Chaos Eclipse Dragon. Selene could hear the cries, and even see the shadow of her dragon, as the chains restrained him. She looked like she was about to cry.

"No! What are you doing?!"

"A banished monster that is restrained with Chain Beyond cannot leave the banished zone. In addition, you will now take 600 damage during each Standby phase." He explained, laughing evilly.

"No way… My Dragon got…Chaos…."

_**Ending: Inori no Kanata (Beyond the Prayer) by Akiko Shikata**_

_**awaki sora no hazama hitohira no hana wa kobore**_

(A beautiful flower's petals tear off into the wind. They flow past Selene and the L'Cie.)

_**mai tatsu kin iro no kaze ni hirari yura re**_

(Snow holds Serah's crystal tear close to his heart. Selene looks at the back of her hand.)

_**doko e mukau**_

(Cut to the back of Selene's hand, with a L'Cie brand and a tear on it.)

_**mawari dasu toki no haguruma**_

(Cut to a closed-eyed Selene, standing on a crystal pillar in the moonlight. The camera zooms to her face, revealing a single tear from her left eye.)

_**karamiau omoi oikakete te o basu**_

(Lightning and Selene stand back to back on the same pillar just seen, in the moonlight. They both hold their hands over their hearts.)

_**ori na sareru mirai to kako no kawaranu negai yo**_

(Cut to a scene of a nude Selene in chains.)

_**donna kurushimi sae mo koe te kanata e ha ga takeru**_

(She breaks free, and flies to a full moon in the distance.)

_**aoki hitomi no soko hitotsubu no shizuku kobore**_

(Selene looks down in doubt, and she is crying.)

_**sazameku gin no izumi yurare yurete**_

(Pan out, and reveal that she is levitating above a silver fountain. Her tear disturbs it.)

_**nani o utsusu**_

(Show her reflection in the fountain. It is disturbed by her tear, which turns to crystal.)

_**tachi kire nu kanashimi no wato**_

(Selene's tears form chains that bind her.)

_**wasurare nu tsumi no wabachi o ima toki hanatsu**_

(Vanille wipes her tears, and she breaks free of her chains, flying away. The two arrive to meet the rest of the group. They look towards the full moon in the sky.)


	5. Chapter 5: Nightmare (Part 2)

Chapter 5: Nightmare (Part 2)

She clenched her fist so tight that her knuckles went white. The fury in Selene's eyes was so evident that she almost burned up the surrounding terrain with her presence alone! Fang could feel her hatred, and was about to tell off the heartless entity again, but Selene beat her to it.

"I won't forgive you for this! ADONIS! Power Grinder, attack him directly and finish him off!"

With a boost up its feet, Power Grinder was launched forward, ready to strike an impact worth to be compared to a meteor strike. However…

"I activate the other Trap, Crystal Focus."

Like the previous trap, it flipped and revealed itself.

"When a monster attacks, this card can revive a Crystality monster in the Graveyard and resume the battle with it as the new attack target."

"No, that means…" She whispered.

"I'll revive Crystality Knight."

A large crystal pillar rose up from the ground, and after it shattered, the Knight-like figure from before now stood in Power Grinder's way. _ATK: 1500/ LV3_

"With it, Crystality Knight's monster effect activates. When it fights a monster whose Attack points are 1900 or higher, it loses 500 Attack points and the opponent takes all the Battle damage instead."

_Crystality Knight: ATK: 1000_

The knight welcomed Grinder's impact with open arms, and when this occurred, the explosion was so immense that it pushed Power Grinder back with a wave of shattered crystals. It was as if he struck a barrel of explosives. And the same impact of shards drove Selene off her feet and made her fly backwards, landing hardly on the ground.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Selene cried, a slight trace of blood coming out of her mouth. She fell down onto her face.

Selene: LP: 2000

INTRODUCTION: Innocent Starter by Nana Mizuki

_**Hiza wo kakaete Heya no katasumi**_

(Hope is sitting in a corner, his knees curled up to his chest.)

_**Itsumo fuan de Furueteita**_

(Sazh's chocobo chick flies down to his shoulder, and gives him a gentle peck. He looks up, and smiles.)

_**"Hontou" wo shiru koto ga kowakute TOBIRA wo tojita**_

(Cut to Hope alongside the rest of the L'Cie. Selene is standing away from them, glaring at them.)

_**Yasashii uso ni Ibasho mitsukete**_

(Selene looks to the moon, her hand over her heart.)

_**Yume no naka ni nige konda**_

(She prepares to fight Lightning and her friends.)

_**Dare mo shiranai Kodoku no umi wo**_

(Lightning draws her Blazefire Saber, and charges to Selene.)

_**Fukai ao ni someteku**_

(Cut to a shot of Selene standing on water, eyes closed, her hand closed over her heart. The water is slightly disturbed by Selene standing over it, and it ripples faintly.)

_**Sabishisa kakusu Ichizu na omoi**_

(Cut to the group fighting a Fal'Cie. Selene is standing on a nearby pillar.)

_**Kimi no KOKORO wo kizutsukete iru**_

(Selene blasts the Fal'Cie with her magic. Vanille turns to face her and smiles.)

_**Hitomi no oku no himitsu**_

(The camera pans into Selene's eye as a tear falls from it.)

_**Suikomare sou na**_

(She looks towards the sky, everyone at her side.)

_**Egao no ura no shinjitsu ni**_

(Cut to a shot of Lightning and Selene standing back to back, with shots of their faces behind each of them. Lightning's face is as cold as usual, and Selene mirrors it.)

_**Yawaraka na ai**_

(Sazh's Chocobo chick comes to rest on Selene's shoulder, and she looks at it with some degree of wonder.)

_**Boku ga todoke ni yuku yo**_

(She slightly smiles, and she releases the Chocobo.)

_**Furetara koware sou na**_

(Cut to repeated shadowed flashbacks of what appear to be battles.)

_**Nukumori ga ima**_

(Show that some of the warriors are L'Cie and Fal'Cie, and show the Lunarian brands.)

_**Kako wo hanare afuredasu**_

(The flashbacks disappear in a wind, and Selene's face shows determination.)

_**Zutto soba ni iru kara**_

(The rest of the group walks up and joins her. Sazh's chocobo chick flies and rests on her her shoulder.)

_**Kanashii kage ni madowanai de**_

(It ends with the group facing the audience, the Fal'Cie behind them with evil smiles on their faces, the two known deities behind the Fal'Cie, and a shadowy figure behind them. It is all on a black background.)

"This is bad! She lost half of her Life Points!" Vanille cried.

"Bastard!" Fang cursed.

"Just like I thought…" Lightning said to herself.

"It doesn't hurt… It doesn't hurt at all…" Selene lied, pushing to her elbows. But it did. There was even a tear in her face. Chaos Eclipse Dragon was part of her, literally and metaphorically.

"Because Crystality Knight was destroyed, Crystal Destiny now activates."

The same thing that happened earlier repeated itself.

"The power that controls destiny, it will now obey me and shape the draw of a duelist. Miracle Draw!"

He smirked.

"I drew Crystality Firebird, so I Special summon it."

He summoned a new monster. Despite being called "firebird", there was little to no burning effect to it. It only vaguely resembled a bird, only the orange frames, talons and a beak kept it in the avian shape, but it was actually just a chunk of crystal with a pretty orange sparkle. _ATK: 2300/ LV6_

Selene just barely got up. Despair began to become apparent in her eyes.

"No way… Anytime I destroy one of his monsters, he just summons a new one… This cannot be it! A Lunarian Princess like myself is not supposed to be driven into a corner by a Fallen… It just isn't possible!" She said, beginning to lose sight of her path.

"I set 2 cards down." She said, setting the cards down. The corrupt machine laughed.

"Losing our motive, are we?" He mocked. That made Fang and the others snap.

"Alright, listen here, you cheating, lying, disgusting, son-of-a-whore metal scrap! Doing things like this is absolutely unforgivable!" Fang began.

"That's right! Just like us, even if it's for different reasons, we both can agree on one thing-we aren't gonna let the Fal'Cie rule anything!" Vanille continued.

"Selene! You've got to get rid of this thing! You've gotta be the hero-you're the Princess of Lunaria, right?! Prove it!" Snow added.

"You've got to beat this thing so we can get home safe and sound! I'm sure that's what your dad and mom would want, right?!" Hope yelled.

"Someday, I want you to meet my son, Dajh! I'm sure Serah would want to meet you! I'm also sure that your mom and your dad, along with all of the other people from your home want to see you come back alive and well! You can't die here!" Sazh said, agreeing with his comrades.

"...You can't die here. You have too much to protect. You have a job to do. Chaos Eclipse Dragon wouldn't want you to give up. I'm sure that your dad and mom want to see you come home. You still haven't decided about whether or not we're different from other L'Cie you've met. You're the Princess of Lunaria, right? So, show us your power! Show us the power granted to you from birth that allows you to crush Fal'Cie! The power that allows you to protect dimensions! The power of your friends! Together, we WILL overcome destiny! DON'T GIVE UP!" Lightning said, much to the shock of everyone present.

Selene's eyes had widened the moment the L'Cie began talking to her. Lightning was never one to talk much. She was never one for motivational speeches. Lightning was the one who didn't exactly get along with her.

_They're...encouraging me, despite knowing how much I despise their kind?! All of them, even the soldier who specializes in lightning magic? They really are different from the others I've seen and fought... _

"No. I am not losing my motive! I am not giving up here!" Selene said, answering the infamous being's question.

"In that case, the following will occur during the End phase. First, Power Grinder loses the Attack points it gained during this turn." He said, pointing at the monster that Selene commanded.

_Power Grinder: ATK: 3000… 600_

"Second, due to the effect of Chaos Eclipse Dragon, all banished monsters return to the field. However, because your dragon is restrained with The Chain Beyond, only my monster returns instead. Rise back, Crystality Archlord!" He continued, smirking evilly as his monster returned. From a rift in space, the mighty angelic lord of Adonis' deck tore his way into the field. _ATK: 2800/LV8_

"Also, because Chaos Eclipse Dragon was left behind, my Archlord's effect will not be negated. This will be your last breath. My turn. Draw!" He added in a mocking tone as he drew his card.

"In the Standby Phase, The Chain Beyond's effect will inflict 600 damage onto you!"

Dark lightning struck from the chains in the Void Beyond, and through it, it struck directly at Selene.

"GGGAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" She cried out.

"Selene!" Vanille cried, trying to scramble up to help her. Hope pulled her back.

"You can't help her the way you want to. We can't use our magic to interfere." Hope explained. Vanille looked like she was about ready to burst into tears.

Selene: LP: 1400

Selene just barely remained standing. Adonis disregarded this, and went on with his turn.

"Without your dragon's presence, Crystality Archlord's monster effect can now be activated. Once per turn, he can revive a Crystality monster from my Graveyard. I'll Special Summon Crystality Wingshard." He began.

The small crystalline beast arose from the grave. _ATK: 900/ LV3_

"Then, Crystality Archlord gains Attack points of the monster it just revived."

_Crystality Archlord: ATK: 3700_

"There's more. I activate the effect of Crystality Firebird. It can destroy one of your monsters along with a Crystality monster on the field. The cards I chose to destroy are Power Grinder and Crystality Wingshard."

"Bastard's willing to sacrifice his own monster to get rid of hers!" Fang said, furious as ever.

"He's probably after the combo that activates when Wingshard is destroyed."

"Oh no! That means…"

The Firebird performed a single wingbeat, and this tore off a pair of chunks of crystal from its wings. One landed on Wingshard, the other on Power Grinder, and it all resulted in an explosion that shattered both monsters.

"With Wingshard destroyed, its effect, along with that of Crystal Destiny, activates."

Vanille hugged Fang around the waist like a child would cling to her mother when scared as Adonis repeated the Miracle Draw yet again. Fang gritted her teeth. Hope had told them, essentially, that there was nothing they could do until this Duel was over.

"If that thing lives this, I will personally make sure there is hell to pay!" Fang vowed.

"Miracle Draw!"

He looked at the card, and smirked.

"The monster I drew is a Crystality monster, and from my deck I can also summon a level 3 Crystality monster."

He held up two cards before summoning them.

"I summon Crystality Lionhound, and Crystality Vicehorn!"

The first monster looked like an animate crystal statue of a feline beast. _ATK: 1400/ LV3_

The other monster more closely resembled a crystal stag, with a long horn on its nose, all made of yellow crystal. _ATK: 1800/ LV4_

"Finally, I'll Normal Summon Crystality Unbound."

The last monster he played had the probably weirdest appearance: it was a limbless crystal humanoid with no apparent transition between head, neck or torso, but it did have a pair of large conic crystal pillars with runes inscribed on them growing out of its base, making its shape altogether look like the letter W. _ATK: 1200/ LV4_

"As long as Crystality Unbound remains on the field, all Crystality monsters on the field gain 400 Attack points." He said with the slightest hint of glee in his voice...Lightning figured it would be a sadistic glee.

_Crystality Unbound: ATK: 1200… 1600_

_Crystality Firebird: ATK: 2300… 2700_

_Crystality Vicehorn: ATK: 1800… 2200_

_Crystality Lionhound: ATK: 1400… 1800_

_Crystality Archlord: ATK: 3700… 4100_

And so, a total of 5 monsters stood against Selene's empty field. Vanille clinged even tighter to Fang, the Pulsian huntress responding by holding the younger Pulsian close, Hope, having seen a Duel or two before, had a bad feeling, and closed his eyes, Lightning arming herself incase she had to fight it, Sazh starting to panic and dance in response, and the chocobo chick fluttering around in its own panic.

_This is bad...He has an army and I have nothing…_

Her morale began to fall, and it became apparent as she looked down and the lights in her eyes began to fade.

"This is the end. Crystality Archlord, attack her Life Points directly!" Adonis said, laughing insanely.

The sword in Archlord's hand suddenly lit ablaze, and the blade shone up with the force of a thousand suns! That was what it was going to hit her with! Fang couldn't let this stand, so she picked up a nearby rock, and chucked it in front of Selene's face. That got her attention, and she turned to face the Pulsian huntress.

"Listen here, little Princess! You give up here, and I will NEVER forgive you! You don't wanna leave your daddy and mommy, along with all of those people back home, in despair all because you lost to one of them, do ya?! Plus, think of all the innocent people on Cocoon! They need you to defeat that thing so that their world can be saved! Oh, and for the icing on the cake, you haven't decided about whether or not we're good or bad people for yourself! You die here, and you won't be able to do that! Fight on, little missy!

The lights in Selene's eyes immediately returned. She smiled, and laughed a little.

_Her methods and nature are brash and reckless, but they get the job done. She made several good points, albeit, being rude and blunt. No matter. I will scold her for that later. I must not give up! _

"I play the Trap: Crescent Lake Reflection!"

The trap revealed itself.

"By paying half my Life points, I can cancel your attack!"

_Selene: LP: 700_

Archlord's sword attack was repelled by an unknown force, like someone swung an invisible sword against it. As such, the attack stopped.

"You may have stopped one attack, but I have plenty of monsters to attack with next." Adonis said, hissing.

"After this, I can use the other effect of Crescent Lake Reflection. That means all your monsters loose Attack points equal to the power of the monster whose attack was negated!" She added, smiling. Vanille fist-pumped the air.

"Alright! That means that he's become all bark and no bite!"

"What?!" He said, shocked and confused. There was an odd effect on Adonis' field. On the ground beneath his cards, a field similar to a frozen lake started expanding, overall reflecting the entire line-up on monsters on his side. Soon after this, a brilliant luster occurred, and the same flare that Archlord was about to unleash on Selene was now burning up all of his monsters.

_Crystality Unbound: ATK: 1600… 0_

_Crystality Firebird: ATK: 2700… 0_

_Crystality Vicehorn: ATK: 2200… 0_

_Crystality Lionhound: ATK: 1800… 0_

_Crystality Archlord: ATK: 4100… 0_

"Ha! Looks like he ain't so bad now! All of his little friends are weaker than a newborn puppy!" Fang added, smiling. He hissed a little.

"You're only pushing your inescapable fate further. This is a world where destiny is the most powerful. And no matter what you do, to fail and be defeated is and will always be your fated scenario. I set this card down. Then, during End phase, the Attack power of all my monsters returns to normal." He said, setting the card to end his turn.

_Crystality Unbound: ATK: 0… 1600_

_Crystality Firebird: ATK: 0… 2700_

_Crystality Vicehorn: ATK: 0… 2200_

_Crystality Lionhound: ATK: 0… 1800_

_Crystality Archlord: ATK: 0… 3200_

"Also, due to Archlord's effect, I must now destroy a Crystality monster on my side. I'll vanquish Crystality Lionhound." He said. Without hesitation, Archlord pierced his sword through the now dying Lionhound's body, shattering it.

"And when Crystality Lionhound is destroyed by a card effect, due to his effect, my Life points increase by 1000." He added.

_Adonis: LP: 3800_

"No! He's getting power back!" Vanille said, a sweat starting to form.

"You better not forget what I said! Don't you DARE give up now!"

For once, Selene actually smiled towards the L'Cie.

"How could I ever forget? I have to teach you how to act properly in front of me, Miss Fang!"

Selene turned back to her opponent. She regained the strong fighting resolve that she had when she first fought them. Fang smiled-she was coming back.

"It's… My… Turn!" She exclaimed, pulling a card from her deck with the incredible burning passion that was going to be required to overcome Adonis.

"During your Standby phase, The Chain Beyond will inflict 600 damage to your Life Points."

The black thunderbolt hit again. Although she was in pain for a second, she shook it off. The aura her resolve gave off was enough to throw her opponent off.

"Ghhhh… It doesn't hurt… This kind of thing… does not hurt at all!" She said.

_Selene: LP: 100_

"So you'll mock the fal'Cie might still? Then I'll crush you completely!"

He flipped a card up with a snap of his fingers.

"I'll play the Continuous Trap Des Crystal! This card can freeze your Monster card zones in eternal crystal, by one zone more than the number of Crystality monsters I control. The number of Crystality monsters on my side of the field is 4. That means 5 of your zones cannot be used anymore. In other words, you cannot summon monsters at all!"

A giant wave of crystals breaking the earth sundered upon, and this gave rise to a series of extremely unfriendly looking crystal spikes that plagued Selene's field.

"You cannot summon monsters anymore. You cannot defeat my monsters. Your Life points are down to 100. The Chain Beyond will keep on inflicting damage to you. And my field is full of Crystality monsters that can unlock various effects when they're destroyed. This time for sure, you are finished, Lunarian!" He said, hoping his move would demoralize her. Selene was barely standing. She could barely even breathe, for that matter. But she did find the strength to do one thing: She smiled.

"That so?" She said.

"Hm?"

"You control destiny? You have eternal crystals? You are the divine fal'Cie? What a load of nonsense."

"What did you say?!"

"You believe it's your destiny I'll have to follow? That I'll just follow your guidelines like sentences in a theatrical script? That you can have me dance for you like a puppet?! I can't stand humans, and l'Cie even less-humans condemn almost anything, and I lost a lot thanks to the L'Cie. But you know what makes them so fearsome? So dangerous that even the most divine fear their power?! It's the ability… to bypass destiny. And if stupid humans can beat this, then so can I!"

She pulled a card from her hand.

"I activate Shard of Twilight! Because you have more than 5 cards more than I do, I can draw 2 cards! Fal'Cie… the Fallen… They don't bring down miracles. They are unable to call their deeds miracles. Why? Because it's way too common for them. This is what a true miracle looks like. The ability to craft one's own fate! This is MY… Miracle Draw!"

There was no special illumination or divine effects in her draw, but it still felt very powerful. She looked at what she drew. And she winked.

"I activate Lunar Storm!"

She activated the card with energy that brought joy to the L'Cie and shocked her opponent.

"This card destroys a number of Spell and Trap cards on the field that is the same as the number of monsters on the field. You have 4 monsters on the field, and I have none. Also, you have 3 Spells and Traps, and I have one. That means I can destroy them all!"

A mighty gust of wind formed an immense tempest, and the winds were so dense and shiny that they almost looked like milky vapor. The three cards on Adonis' side were all torn apart: Crystal Destiny, The Chain Beyond and Des Crystal, so all of the spiky crystals were simply pulverized by the winds. The same happened to Selene's set card.

"No! My combo!" Adonis cried out.

"With Des Crystal destroyed, I can summon monsters again, and when The Chain Beyond is destroyed, the monster it's binding can be Special Summoned! Return to me, Chaos Eclipse Dragon!"

The rift in space simply shattered even more, and from the fissure it created, Selene's mighty Dragon spread its wings once again! _ATK: 2400/ LV7_

"Alright! Chaos Eclipse Dragon is back! Wahoo!" Vanille exclaimed.

"It's hero time!" Snow exclaimed. Lightning facepalmed.

"Attagirl! Show 'em! Make 'em pay for hurting your friends!" Fang yelled, encouraging the Princess.

"At this point, I can activate the effect of the Trap card Dimensional Mirage!" She said.

"Trap? Don't be ridiculous! You just destroyed your own Trap card." He said.

"I can play it BECAUSE it's destroyed. During the turn in which Dimensional Mirage is destroyed, all monsters that are summoned from the banished zone have their Attack points doubled!" She said.

_Chaos Eclipse Dragon: ATK: 2400… 4800_

"Impressive. But not nearly enough to defeat me. Even if you destroy one of my monsters, I still have plenty of Life Points to survive."

"I activate Chaos Eclipse Dragon's ability!"

"What? At this time?"

"He can banish himself, along with another monster on the field, until the End phase!"

"She wants to defeat my Archlord by banishing it? But why relinquish her only monster in the process?"

"Chaos Eclipse Dragon, banish Crystality Unbound!"

"What, Unbound?"

An eclipse occurred, and the rift opened. Chaos Eclipse Dragon dragged the beast down into the abyss as it went down.

"Why him of all things?"

"With Unbound no longer on the field, the attack point bonus from his effect disappears as well."

_Crystality Firebird: ATK: 2700… 2300_

_Crystality Vicehorn: ATK: 2200… 1800_

_Crystality Archlord: ATK: 3200… 2800_

"She wouldn't honestly banish her last monster just to reduce my monster's points by measly 400?"

"I did not relinquish my dragon. I was preparing for this!"

She played a card.

"I activate Lunar Force! When a Synchro monster is banished, this card can bring it back, and increase its Attack points by 1000!"

Chaos Eclipse Dragon came back from the rift, and let out a roar.

_ATK: 2400… 3400_

"And with the effect of Dimensional Mirage, all monsters summoned from the banished zone receive two times the strength!"

Here comes the hammer:

_Chaos Eclipse Dragon: ATK: 3400… 6800_

"Impossible! Sixty-eight hundred Attack points!?" He exclaimed, taking a step back.

"The one who's finished is you! Chaos Eclipse Dragon, attack! Brilliant Eclipse!"

The brilliant white flare that Chaos Eclipse Dragon shot out held immense brightness! Aiming at Crystality Archlord in its wake, the once mighty overlord was helpless against this kind of beam, which erupted with the might of a supernova! There was not even the slightest resistance when the beam made an impact, it did not slow down at all. Just like that, Archlord was torn to bits and reduced to ashes, collapsing in an agonizing cry. The beam swallowed everything in its path, including Adonis.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRHHHHHH!" Adonis roared, letting out the cry of agony as the brilliant beam tore through him. He simply amassed into… nothing.

Adonis: LP: 3800… 0/ LOSER

But it did not stop there. Once Adonis' crystal heart shattered, it turned into an epicenter of an entirely different force. The death of the fal'Cie, it exploded in a light so brilliant, it swallowed everything…

…

The first bell rang.

Selene heard this, and didn't realize about this existence until this point.

The second bell rang.

Selene opened her eyes, slowly, tiresome. She realized at first glance, her tired mind recognized, that she was no longer standing on solid ground. She was floating, but not by her own power.

"Where am…"

She was floating in some kind of etherical space, almost immobile, and feeling the flow of a gentle force that was not the wind. Depth, darkness, void everywhere.

The third bell rang.

Light shone in the darkness. Selene could see the pattern of living lights coiling in front of her, and before long she realized the lights were flowing like blood in the arteries of an organism.

This organism, with his lights now visible, revealed itself in front of her. It was a massive deity. Seemingly mechanical, but it left out an aura that made it seem like a breath, like a heartbeat. There was no doubt this was a form of fal'Cie.

The fourth bell rang.

Selene could see a series of tendrils, made of lime-green light, extending from this coiling deity.

"Fallen!" She exclaimed.

The tendrils were headed towards Selene, and she could see the face of the mechanical god, stern as the truth.

The fifth bell rang.

"No you don't! Chia!"

She put her hand forward… but nothing happened. Her eyes widened.

"What? My powers aren't working here?!"

The sixth bell rang.

The tendrils of light coiled up around her arm. The touch itself was gentle, but incredibly strong.

"No! Let me go, you wretched beast!" She ordered.

Other tendrils soon wrapped around her leg, then her hips, and pretty sure she was entirely immobilized.

The seventh bell rang.

"What do you think are you doing?! Stop!"

She felt as if the tendrils were about to tear her apart. She could feel the power pulsating through them, like pulse of a living thing. The massive deity observed her, not letting out a sound, not changing response. It simply observed, and let out loud breaths from an unknown source.

The eight bell rang.

The tendrils on her arm suddenly felt very hot. She tried tearing them off with her free hand, but it was simply too tough. The arm was contracting on its own, and the heat became unbearable. She started to panic. Something was wrong, and she had a very bad feeling in her gut.

The ninth bell rang.

"No… No!"

In this void space, she could soon no longer hear her own voice. She felt something hit the back of her right hand. Her eyes were fine, but the space around her simply became blurry. Then it became worse. Images started flowing into her mind, at a rapid pace, like she was blinking at a rapid speed. But she saw it all…

The tenth bell rang.

She no longer saw that dimensional pocket. Instead, all her senses combined into processing the images in her head. She saw the earth being torn apart, and headed for the sky. Entire continents were drifting into pieces.

The eleventh bell rang.

She saw buildings collapse, and heard people scream. She recognized the structure, and the voices. It was home.

She saw flames, and smoke, and tremor and chaos.

Lights began fading. Some kind of monstrous form was towering over her…no, the entire world!

The twelfth bell rang.

The only image in her mind was a symbol, wrapped in crystal. The symbol, a set of black lines, started spawning arrow-like tips, and the central seal slowly expanded, into a red, eye-shaped sigl.

She recognized it. It was a l'Cie brand.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO….!" She cried out.

The thirteenth bell rang.

And she opened her eyes once more…

_**Ending: Inori no Kanata (Beyond the Prayer) by Akiko Shikata**_

_**awaki sora no hazama hitohira no hana wa kobore**_

(A beautiful flower's petals tear off into the wind. They flow past Selene and the L'Cie.)

_**mai tatsu kin iro no kaze ni hirari yura re**_

(Snow holds Serah's crystal tear close to his heart. Selene looks at the back of her hand.)

_**doko e mukau**_

(Cut to the back of Selene's hand, with a L'Cie brand and a tear on it.)

_**mawari dasu toki no haguruma**_

(Cut to a closed-eyed Selene, standing on a crystal pillar in the moonlight. The camera zooms to her face, revealing a single tear from her left eye.)

_**karamiau omoi oikakete te o basu**_

(Lightning and Selene stand back to back on the same pillar just seen, in the moonlight. They both hold their hands over their hearts.)

_**ori na sareru mirai to kako no kawaranu negai yo**_

(Cut to a scene of a nude Selene in chains.)

_**donna kurushimi sae mo koe te kanata e ha ga takeru**_

(She breaks free, and flies to a full moon in the distance.)

_**aoki hitomi no soko hitotsubu no shizuku kobore**_

(Selene looks down in doubt, and she is crying.)

_**sazameku gin no izumi yurare yurete**_

(Pan out, and reveal that she is levitating above a silver fountain. Her tear disturbs it.)

_**nani o utsusu**_

(Show her reflection in the fountain. It is disturbed by her tear, which turns to crystal.)

_**tachi kire nu kanashimi no wato**_

(Selene's tears form chains that bind her.)

_**wasurare nu tsumi no wabachi o ima toki hanatsu**_

(Vanille wipes her tears, and she breaks free of her chains, flying away. The two arrive to meet the rest of the group. They look towards the full moon in the sky.)


	6. Chapter 6: A Power Undesired

Chapter 6: A Power Undesired

"Damnit, where'd she go?!" Snow cursed.

"That thing the Fal'Cie did...It was just like when it branded us...You think that Selene's a L'Cie now?" Hope said, just loud enough to be heard by Fang. She laughed and placed a hand on the kid's shoulder.

"Relax. If there's one thing that she's made clear, more than likely, she's immune to the Fal'Cie's power. I'm sure that the moment we find her, she'll be back to the arrogant, self-righteous, L'Cie-hating Lunarian that we all know and somehow love."

"Split up! We'll find her faster that way!" Lightning ordered, turning everyone's attention to her.

"Vanille and I will go towards Oerba! We know that area the best!" Fang said.

"I'll go with Lightning to the west!" Hope said.

"That leaves the north to Sazh and I!" Snow said.

"Everyone has communicators on them, right? Whoever finds her first, send the message to the others!"

"For us, the communicator is right here!" Sazh said, pointing to the chocobo chick that popped out. Fang made sure her communicator was working. Snow tossed his to Lightning. The now-split-up group nodded at one another, and went off in their respective directions.

Selene awoke to a crying Cie'th in her face. It attempted to attack her, but failed. She blocked it with her arms. The next thing that happened confused her-a new breed of power surged into her hand, and she punched the Behemoth square in the face. It was stunned, and it backed away. Selene looked at her hand in sheer confusion and shock.

"What...what was that? I've never used that move before…"

However, the Cie'th charged her. She didn't have time to think about it. She backflipped, and landed on a rock higher than the beast. It was weak, and as such, easily silenced with one more attack. After it fell, she jumped from her perch and landed on the ground. She decided that recalling recent events might help her to understand what happened.

"I defeated Adonis. As he exploded, I was consumed by light. I was then floating in some sort of void. A series of bells rung as first, the Fallen's chains somehow bound me, it hit me with a blast of energy, I began to hallucinate, then, I awoke here in horror after what I saw…"

The only possibility hit her. She pulled off the glove on that was on her right hand, and was horrified at what she saw. She hit herself, and nothing changed. She wasn't dreaming. She closed her eyes, and cried. The impossible had happened.

A Lunarian had been branded a L'Cie.

_She_ had been branded a L'Cie.

She, the _Princess of Lunaria_, had been branded a L'Cie.

_A L'Cie! _

INTRODUCTION: Innocent Starter by Nana Mizuki

_**Hiza wo kakaete Heya no katasumi**_

(Hope is sitting in a corner, his knees curled up to his chest.)

_**Itsumo fuan de Furueteita**_

(Sazh's chocobo chick flies down to his shoulder, and gives him a gentle peck. He looks up, and smiles.)

_**"Hontou" wo shiru koto ga kowakute TOBIRA wo tojita**_

(Cut to Hope alongside the rest of the L'Cie. Selene is standing away from them, glaring at them.)

_**Yasashii uso ni Ibasho mitsukete**_

(Selene looks to the moon, her hand over her heart.)

_**Yume no naka ni nige konda**_

(She prepares to fight Lightning and her friends.)

_**Dare mo shiranai Kodoku no umi wo**_

(Lightning draws her Blazefire Saber, and charges to Selene.)

_**Fukai ao ni someteku**_

(Cut to a shot of Selene standing on water, eyes closed, her hand closed over her heart. The water is slightly disturbed by Selene standing over it, and it ripples faintly.)

_**Sabishisa kakusu Ichizu na omoi**_

(Cut to the group fighting a Fal'Cie. Selene is standing on a nearby pillar.)

_**Kimi no KOKORO wo kizutsukete iru**_

(Selene blasts the Fal'Cie with her magic. Vanille turns to face her and smiles.)

_**Hitomi no oku no himitsu**_

(The camera pans into Selene's eye as a tear falls from it.)

_**Suikomare sou na**_

(She looks towards the sky, everyone at her side.)

_**Egao no ura no shinjitsu ni**_

(Cut to a shot of Lightning and Selene standing back to back, with shots of their faces behind each of them. Lightning's face is as cold as usual, and Selene mirrors it.)

_**Yawaraka na ai**_

(Sazh's Chocobo chick comes to rest on Selene's shoulder, and she looks at it with some degree of wonder.)

_**Boku ga todoke ni yuku yo**_

(She slightly smiles, and she releases the Chocobo.)

_**Furetara koware sou na**_

(Cut to repeated shadowed flashbacks of what appear to be battles.)

_**Nukumori ga ima**_

(Show that some of the warriors are L'Cie and Fal'Cie, and show the Lunarian brands.)

_**Kako wo hanare afuredasu**_

(The flashbacks disappear in a wind, and Selene's face shows determination.)

_**Zutto soba ni iru kara**_

(The rest of the group walks up and joins her. Sazh's chocobo chick flies and rests on her her shoulder.)

_**Kanashii kage ni madowanai de**_

(It ends with the group facing the audience, the Fal'Cie behind them with evil smiles on their faces, the two known deities behind the Fal'Cie, and a shadowy figure behind them. It is all on a black background.)

Before she could begin to question anything, she heard footsteps. She pulled her glove back over her hand. Now was not the time to reveal to the others that she was one of them. She had to hurry. She had to complete her quest and stop Absolute Ruin.

"Hey! There ya are!"

Selene hung her head.

_Of all of them, it has to be the most rude one that finds me? _

"So, you okay? What happened?" Vanille asked. Selene decided to hide her newfound pain and sorrow from the others.

"Nothing important. We should rendezvous with the others. I believe one of the Gods' resting place isn't too far from here."

"Damn, you really are cold."

"I just want to get my job done."

Fang pulled out the communicator.

"I'll tell Light and the rest of the crew."

She walked outside and began talking. Vanille sat down next to Selene.

"I remember that, right before the monster took down our airship, you muttered something."

"It's none of your affair."

Fang walked back in.

"They're gonna be here soon. Knowing Light, she's gonna be here first." Fang said, sitting down next to the Lunarian carelessly.

"So...Can ya tell us a bit more about yourself? You know, your childhood and things like that?"

"Why do you need to know that?"

"Well, if we're gonna travel together, we might as well get to know each other."

"I do not agree with your statement. You know my name. I know your name. That suffices for me."

"...You have some serious issues with trust."

"That occurs to you just now?"

"No, I figured it out when I talked to Vanille a little 'bout you. She said you also mentioned something on the airship, but when she asked ya to say it again, you just told her to leave you alone. What's eatin' at ya?"

"...My people have...a bloodstained history with humans and L'Cie."

Fang decided enough was enough. Selene obviously wasn't going to divulge anything to her because she was a L'Cie. However, something seemed off to Fang. As the rest of the group arrived, she fell into deep thought.

"Fang?" Vanille said.

"Huh? Didn't see ya there, Vanille."

"Something on your mind?"

"Na, it's nothing. Think we should camp here for the night?"

"It's a good idea. There's no other way in besides this obvious entrance." Lightning said.

"Then let's set up and get some shut-eye." Sazh said. Most of the others went out to set up camp, while Selene, insisting on being alone, went to purge the area of Cie'th and monsters. Fang, however, once again, became lost in thought. What was with Selene? Did her people, the Lunarians, hate L'Cie that much? Does she have some sort of personal affair with L'Cie? Just what did she mention on the airship that she was so determined to hide now?

The others fell asleep after Selene insisted that the area for several miles was purged of any Cie'th or monsters. However, Selene couldn't fall asleep. Per her own stubbornness, she insisted on sleeping in her own tent. With the most recent events that transpired, doubt was beginning to fill her heart. She pulled off her glove, and looked at the brand that was a symbol of a curse more ancient that practically everyone around her.

The people of this world, from what she could tell, also hated L'Cie. Not to the extent that her people did, but they hated L'Cie nonetheless. It seemed that no matter they went, they would be hated. Her appearance was a bit odd, but she wasn't a L'Cie until now. Since the land of Pulse was practically _devoid_ of human life, persecution by humans was easily avoided, and they could easily kill any Cie'th or monster that crossed their path. However, her mind was filled with other concerns. Tears were starting to form.

Could she complete her quest now that she'd been branded? How long would she be able to keep it hidden? How long did she have until she would either be crystal or Cie'th? How could she return home with the very brand of the mortal enemy of her people? Could she call herself a Lunarian anymore?

_I am lost...Please, Goddess Hathor...Help me…_

Her tears actually began to fall as she leaned deeper into a tree. She suddenly felt a warm embrace, and turned to see a familiar face.

"Ha! I knew _something_ was up! You're crying!"

"It's not your affair, Fang!"

"Oh, it is!" Fang snapped. The Lunarian looked at Fang with eyes wide in shock. Fang grabbed her wrist, and shook it a bit.

"Lookie here! _This_ is why you've been avoiding us even _more!_ Looks like Hope was right! Sure, you're from another dimension, but looks like nothing can stop a Fal'Cie from cursing people, and the proof is right here!"

Selene took a shaky breath and tried to pull herself away from Fang.

"You're a L'Cie!"

Fang spelled it out for her, making it impossible to deny. No matter how badly she wanted to. No matter how much it hurt. The Pulsian just said it as plain as day. Three words that no living being wanted to hear. Cocoonian, Pulsian, or Lunarian. It echoed between them in its own cold, unforgiving way. Selene looked away, as if to deny it. After a few seconds, Fang continued.

"You put on a show of hatred around us 'cuz you're worried that if you show anything else, you'll be makin' your momma and your daddy upset. Lunaria is in a parallel dimension, right? Your momma and your daddy have a lot of business managing that place, and I'm pretty sure they have no way of watching your every step. I don't know what happened in your past or why your people hate L'Cie more than anyone on Cocoon. But just because we have this damned brand doesn't mean we're just gonna bow down and do whatever the Fal'Cie tell us to! We've all decided to follow our own path!"

"That's a child's fantasy-"

"I once said the same thing! Not exactly word for word, but I pretty much said the same thing!"

Fang pulled out Bahamut's crystal, and called him out.

"Then he appeared, and smacked me in the face. Told me that I need to stay by my friends. And whether you know it or not, whether you _like_ it or not, you're our friend too. Even if the relationship's a bit strained."

Selene was speechless. Footsteps were heard, and the two realized that their argument/Fang-Lecturing-Selene had awoken the others, and that they had been listening the entire time. They were all looking at the Princess, which she figured meant that they had seen her brand-the one she _didn't_ want them to see. Selene sighed, and turned to face the tree again.

"Apollonir."

"Hm?" Vanille wondered.

"The name I mentioned on the airship. My _brother's_ name."

Lightning looked at her, shock on her face.

"He died at the hands of a L'Cie. My people _do_ hate L'Cie...but because my beloved brother's life was stolen by one...My hatred for them is even greater! I loved my brother!"

Fang took a step back as Selene actually, really, truly cried, releasing her wrist in the process.

"He taught me how to fight! He played with me! He protected me!" She sobbed as she painfully recalled the day that her beloved brother died.

"I will never forget it...I was leaving for this world to complete my quest! We were holding hands! We were at the gate!"

She broke down, and slammed her fist into the earth.

"A L'Cie charged through, and aimed at me! My brother blocked the Fallen's blade, and before I could protest, shoved me through the gate, knowing only I could awaken the Gods...His last words that I heard were 'Go! Everyone is depending on you, Selene! Make new friends and protect our homeland!'...I watched in horror as there was nothing I could do as the L'Cie and my brother killed each other-the L'Cie's blade in Apollonir's heart and Apollonir's blade in the L'Cie's head!"

Much to the shock of the others present, Lightning walked up to the crying woman. They were practically expecting Lightning to slap Selene. What she did was unexpected.

She _embraced_ Selene.

"I've had my life screwed over by the damned Fal'Cie. It cursed my sister, and she's trapped in crystal. It's cursed me as well. I know your pain."

The only response from the interdimensional being was more tears. Sazh walked over, and sat down next to the crying Lunarian.

"You're not alone. We've all had bad things happen to us that, one way or another, is thanks to the Fal'Cie. Lightning's sister is trapped in crystal, and Lightning's sister is also Snow's fiancee. My son is trapped in crystal!" Sazh said reassuringly.

"I lost my mom. Just because a Fal'Cie was discovered near a place we'd visited. She fell to her death, and you know what makes it worse? I thought it was Snow's fault because he didn't save her, but he couldn't save her. We were going to be killed just because we had visited a place that a Fal'Cie happened to be resting in!" Hope added.

"There was a war, a long time ago, between Cocoon and Pulse. Vanille and I lost a lot of our tribe members, who were family to us. And I was forced to do something terrible because of destiny." Fang added.

"I grew up an orphan. You've heard other things. You get it now, Selene?"

She looked up at Snow, who knelt down and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"You're not alone, especially now. We've all got the same problem, and somehow, even if we get beat up, even if we make a mistake or two, we'll figure out how to make it work out. So, let's rest up, and continue making our path, okay?" He asked, smiling. She wiped her tears, and nodded. She stood back up.

"You're right. See you tomorrow."

She smiled softly at them as they returned to their camp. They fell asleep, now just a little bit closer. Finally, the barrier between them was beginning to fade.

_**Ending: Inori no Kanata (Beyond the Prayer) by Akiko Shikata**_

_**awaki sora no hazama hitohira no hana wa kobore**_

(A beautiful flower's petals tear off into the wind. They flow past Selene and the L'Cie.)

_**mai tatsu kin iro no kaze ni hirari yura re**_

(Snow holds Serah's crystal tear close to his heart. Selene looks at the back of her hand.)

_**doko e mukau**_

(Cut to the back of Selene's hand, with a L'Cie brand and a tear on it.)

_**mawari dasu toki no haguruma**_

(Cut to a closed-eyed Selene, standing on a crystal pillar in the moonlight. The camera zooms to her face, revealing a single tear from her left eye.)

_**karamiau omoi oikakete te o basu**_

(Lightning and Selene stand back to back on the same pillar just seen, in the moonlight. They both hold their hands over their hearts.)

_**ori na sareru mirai to kako no kawaranu negai yo**_

(Cut to a scene of a nude Selene in chains.)

_**donna kurushimi sae mo koe te kanata e ha ga takeru**_

(She breaks free, and flies to a full moon in the distance.)

_**aoki hitomi no soko hitotsubu no shizuku kobore**_

(Selene looks down in doubt, and she is crying.)

_**sazameku gin no izumi yurare yurete**_

(Pan out, and reveal that she is levitating above a silver fountain. Her tear disturbs it.)

_**nani o utsusu**_

(Show her reflection in the fountain. It is disturbed by her tear, which turns to crystal.)

_**tachi kire nu kanashimi no wato**_

(Selene's tears form chains that bind her.)

_**wasurare nu tsumi no wabachi o ima toki hanatsu**_

(Vanille wipes her tears, and she breaks free of her chains, flying away. The two arrive to meet the rest of the group. They look towards the full moon in the sky.)


End file.
